The advent of systems generally referred to as a laser disc system has provided a very powerful and convenient information storage and transfer capability. Laser disc systems provide an extremely convenient and powerful format for storing and later retrieving information such as audio/video information as well as digitally encoded data such as stored text material. The basic laser disc storage medium is similar in appearance to the ubiquitous phonograph record used in audio systems.
A substantial variety of laser disc systems have been developed by practitioners in the art which differ significantly in their capability and power. However, all such laser disc systems share the basic technology in which a plurality of reflective surface modulated tracks are formed upon the laser disc and used in combination with a reading and sensing mechanism to recover the stored information. The information on the laser disc is recovered as the laser player unit illuminates the spinning disc while the sensor portion responds to the reflected laser illumination to produce corresponding electrical signals. Laser disc systems are capable of storing both analog type information as well as digitally encoded information or data.
Initially, laser disc systems found their greatest consumer acceptance in "player" type devices which forms passive units suitable for receiving and playing stored analog information such as audio or video programs, movies or other passive entertainment type information. As the technology progressed, however, consumer demand for so-called interactive "systems" prompted practitioners in the art to endeavor to impart additional capability and power to laser disc systems. In a typical interactive system, the user periodically selects a "path" through a plurality of alternative paths and branches within the various stored information segments on the disc. In most systems, the user is presented with a selection menu or other response soliciting mechanism to which the user responds by inputting a user selection. In many systems, the user response is inputted using a remote control apparatus similar to that presently utilized in controlling television receivers, video cassette recorders and stereophonic audio systems. Once the user has provided a selection input, the laser disc system then displays and carries forward a corresponding sequence of audio/video events. This process is repeated allowing the user to periodically "interact" with the system and provide control of the total information display.
Interactive laser disc systems provide a great potential for entertainment as well as educational and industrial use. However, such interactive systems produced to date have been generally complex and expensive and, as a result, have not become widespread consumer items in the manner enjoyed by other devices such as television receivers, radios and personal computers or the like. Thus far, most interactive laser disc systems are too costly and complex for general consumer use and thus have found their greatest acceptance in the relatively limited fields of commercial information, industrial use or educational use.
Despite the problems of complexity and high cost which have thus far limited mass market consumer utilization of interactive laser disc systems, there remains a continuing demand and need in the marketplace for a laser disc interactive system which is low enough in cost and complexity to be used by consumers generally.